Broncos' Smith couldn't watch

From staff and wire reports

Receiver Rod Smith is one of the few remaining links to the Denver Broncos' 1998 and 1999 Super Bowl wins.

That didn't make the idea of watching Super Bowl XL instead of playing in it any easier for the 11-year veteran, who is here for his third Pro Bowl. Denver finished 14-4 and lost to Pittsburgh -- the eventual Super Bowl champs -- in the AFC title game.

"Nothing against the teams in it. I just didn't watch it. I was depressed. I'm still in depression about it now. I was at the house I'm building sweeping up trash," Smith said. "I grew up a Pittsburgh Steelers fan, but I thought we should've been there."

Smith said he feels a little better about missing the Super Bowl by one game because so many players and other personnel from the Broncos are here to relax and enjoy the Pro Bowl.

DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Lorenzo Neal, a fullback for the Chargers ran with the ball at yesterday's AFC practice.

"You walk around the shops and you see guys who work upstairs for the Broncos and it's kind of different. You see them with the flower shirts on, shopping, it's nice," he said. "For a consolation prize, it's not a bad prize."

Broncos receiver Ashley Lelie, a Radford and Hawaii alumnus, is among the organization members here this week.

"I hung out with him yesterday. We went to the beach, he was showing me around. This is his turf. He's well-loved out here and it's well-deserved," Smith said of Lelie, who just completed his fourth NFL season after the Broncos drafted him in the first round in 2002. "I expect him to be in this game pretty soon. He's at that point where he's ready to take that next step. I honestly expect for him to have a homecoming for himself here soon."

Alexander undecided:

Shaun Alexander, the NFL's Most Valuable Player, said he didn't know if he'd be able to play Sunday because he sprained his right foot in the Super Bowl.

"I've just got to heal up a little bit," he said. "It's a little sore."

Alexander called his feelings bittersweet.

"You lose the Super Bowl, you are disgusted," he said. "You just have a constant numb feeling. You have to laugh to keep from crying."

"Ultimately it'd be great to have everyone back next year," he said. "The reality of the NFL is the salary cap. I think Shaun is definitely a priority and I'd be surprised if he wasn't with us."

Asked about the Super Bowl officiating, Alexander said: "I just think no one's perfect. You can't take anything back. Pittsburgh won. If you look at any game, there might be questionable calls. They didn't do it on purpose."

When asked what he believed to be the most damaging call, Alexander laughed and replied: "All of them."

Hasselbeck was gracious in his comments on the officiating. The closest he got to bitterness came when asked about his being flagged for a disputed below-the-belt block.

"I have a great joke, but I can't tell it," he said. "It's about invisible people."

Glover replaces Coleman:

La'Roi Glover's Pro Bowl streak continues after all.

The Cowboys' 10th year defensive lineman was named to his sixth straight Pro Bowl, replacing Falcons defensive tackle Rod Coleman.

Coleman left Hawaii because of a death in his family.

Good works:

The NFL announced it would donate $1 million to help build a $3 million Youth Education Town center on Oahu.

The Hawaii center, scheduled to open next year, will mark the first such program outside of Super Bowl host cities.

Details of the center were announced near Nanaikapono Elementary School in Waianae with appearances by Warrick Dunn of the Atlanta Falcons and Frank Supovitz, the NFL's senior vice president.

Also, Jaguars kick returner Chad Owens, a former Roosevelt and UH standout, was scheduled to return to his high school alma mater today for groundbreaking of Roosevelt's installation of FieldTurf.

The NFL donated $200,000 to the project and Roosevelt alumni raised around $600,000.

Star-Bulletin reporter Dave Reardon and the Associated Press contributed to this report